CPS Connect: January 13, 2025

Mark Your Calendar

• Monday, January 20 | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School & CPS Offices Closed)
• Tuesday, January 21 | School Committee Meeting (Beginning at 6PM)
• Monday, February 17 - Friday, February 21 | February Break (No School & CPS Offices Closed on February 17)

Good evening CPS Community:

This week we will host two Community Budget meetings. I hope to see you this Wednesday, January 15 at 6PM in the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Media Cafe to learn more about next school year’s budget and to provide feedback on plans and priorities. Childcare and transportation will be provided. Dinner will be served at 5:30PM.

We will also host a virtual Community Budget meeting this Thursday, January 16 at 6:30PM. This meeting will cover the same content as the previous meeting. You can learn more about the budget process and view the community meeting schedule here. I hope to see you this week.

In this Issue:

• Planning for the 2025 -2026 Budget
• Kindergarten Lottery Now Open
• 2026 Teacher of the Year Nomination Form is Now Open!
• January 7 School Committee Recap
• State Financial Aid Application Open for Non-Citizens
• Need Help with Heating Bills? Apply for Fuel Assistance
• Upcoming Events
• District & Community Resources
• The Bright Spot 

Sincerely,

David Murphy
Interim Superintendent
Need to Know News

Planning for the 2025-2026 Budget



Thank you to all who attended our December Community Budget meetings. We will offer in-person and virtual community budget meetings this month. Our next session will be in-person this Wednesday, January 15. Students are welcome to participate!

The 2025-2026 budget aims to align resources to objectives and initiatives outlined in the CPS District Plan.

Community Budget Meeting 3

• When: **This Wednesday, January 15 | 6 - 7PM (Dinner served at 5:30PM)
• Cambridge Rindge & Latin School Media Cafe (459 Broadway Court)
• Transportation and childcare are provided.
  • Access transportation information here.

Community Budget Meeting 4

• When: **This Thursday, January 16 | 6:30 - 7:30PM
• Virtual via Zoom: https://bit.ly/cps-budget-16jan

At these meetings, you will learn more about projections for next school year’s budget and give feedback on plans and priorities. Please note, the presentation will be the same for each meeting.

We look forward to working with CPS staff, parents, caregivers, and Cambridge community members to develop a budget inclusive of our shared priorities and operational responsibilities.

Access more information about the budget process and community meeting schedule here.

Kindergarten Lottery Now Open!

The Kindergarten Lottery for the 2025-2026 school year will be open through 4PM on Friday, January 31. All registrations must be fully completed, including all language testing to determine eligibility for Program Language Bonus points. To learn more, visit our website.

2026 Teacher of the Year Nomination Form is Now Open!
Do you know an excellent educator who…

• Creates a positive and engaging learning environment that balances high expectations with individualized support?
• Build strong relationships with students, families, and the larger school and district community?
• Has ideas to promote high-quality teaching and is eager to work with a wide range of individuals to improve education?

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is seeking nominations for the 2026 Teacher of the Year.

• Complete the Teacher of the Year Nomination Form here.

The nominated teacher will receive a congratulatory email notifying them of your nomination and an invitation to apply. Learn more about the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year program, including eligibility requirements here.

January 7 School Committee Recap
A School Committee meeting was held last Tuesday. Highlights include...

• Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Development: Budget Process and Projections Presentation
• Watch the meeting here.

Interested in receiving email notifications about meetings? Join the School Committee listserv

Real Time Translation Now Offered for Public Meetings
Translation in real time through closed captioning is being rolled out for all School Committee meetings, including Subcommittee meetings, and district-wide virtual webinars!
With this addition, participants can read captions in their preferred language and listen to live speech translation powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

Information, Communication, and Technology, and Technology Services (ICTS) has partnered with our Bilingual Liaisons from our Family Engagement team to test and implement this feature through the Zoom platform.
Currently, the following languages are supported through Zoom…

• Arabic , Cantonese, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French (Canada), French (France), German, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese

As supported languages offered through Zoom are added, CPS will include additional language offerings. Please stay tuned for more updates and information as we continue to implement these changes to our Zoom platform. Questions and feedback can be directed to [Assign Point of Contact]

State Financial Aid Application Open for Non-Citizens
The Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MAFSA) is open! Non-U.S. citizens who have completed high school, and cannot apply to Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are encouraged to apply.

MAFSA is financial aid offered by the state of Massachusetts to expand access to public and private higher educational institutions in Massachusetts only for eligible applicants.

Learn more about eligibility requirements and the MAFSA here.

Need Help with Heating Bills? Apply for Fuel Assistance
Colder weather means higher heating bills. The Cambridge Fuel Assistance Program is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 season. The program helps residents pay their winter heating bills between November 1 and April 30.

Learn more about how to qualify and fill out the application here.

In the Community

Webinar: What is Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)? How Caregivers Can Help Youth Engaging in NSSI.
Tuesday, January 14 | 12PM

District & Community Resources

“I Love My Library” Sticker Contest
For the third year, students in the Creative Design class recently competed in a live work contest sponsored by The Cambridge Public Library Foundation to design a "I Love My Library" sticker. These stickers will be produced and given to every donor with their acknowledgement letter thanking them for their support for The Cambridge Public Library.

The stickers serve as a sign of appreciation for those who donate to the library while doubling as a marketing tool, as stickers are displayed on personal items and showcased around the city! View winning sticker designs here.

Congratulations to our winners!
1st place: Raviv Wainstock
2nd place: Jeffrey Kopp
3rd Place: Chance Graham Jenkins
4th Place: Nia Guerrero
Honorable Mention: Vincent Caterina